Marsha Brown, right, gathers up donated produce at Torrance farmers market. Nonprofit group Food Forward collects produce that would otherwise go to waste from farmers markets in Southern California. After collecting unsold produce from growers, they weigh it and sort it for distribution to food banks, kitchens etc., which pick it up as the farmers market closes.

Agnes Walker, left, Monica McFarland and Marsha Brown set up donation boxes. Nonprofit group Food Forward collects produce that would otherwise go to waste from farmers markets in Southern California.

Monica McFarland and Marsha Brown with boxes of donated produce at Torrance farmers market. Nonprofit group Food Forward collects produce that would otherwise go to waste from farmers markets in Southern California. After collecting unsold produce from growers, they weigh it and sort it for distribution to food banks, kitchens etc., which pick it up as the farmers market closes.

Making those donations possible are volunteer “gleaners” from fellow nonprofit Food Forward, who pick up boxes of unsold produce from farmers at the end of the market at Wilson Park. They then give the produce to Harbor Interfaith, which, in turn, provides it to clients such as the homeless and “food insufficient” families.

“There is such a demand that it comes in one day and goes out the next,” program director Shari Weaver said. “It really kind of demonstrates the ongoing need in this community.”

Food Forward is now preparing to expand the program to the Saturday farmers market in Torrance beginning Oct. 18 and Calabasas starting Nov. 8. The group already recovers food from seven farmers markets on Sundays and four on weekdays at markets countywide.

“We’re trying to expand to reach new communities,” said Leah Boyer, farmers market recovery program manager with North Hollywood-based Food Forward. “We’re trying to get (nonprofit) agencies who are nearby or in that community. The more markets we can expand to in Los Angeles County the more needs we can meet.”

But to do that, Food Forward needs more volunteers.

At every market, the nonprofit needs a team leader who coordinates farmers’ donations and three volunteers, with a daily time commitment of about 2½ hours. Volunteers are asked to donate their time monthly, so ideally about 16 volunteers are needed to staff each market.

Marsha Brown, who retired from UCLA at the end of June, said the volunteer work is not only satisfying, but also provides a good workout, too.

“You’re outside, you’re doing exercise, you’re lifting boxes that can weigh anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds each,” the Hermosa Beach resident said. “I use my walk app on my phone and walking just back and forth and around in circles comes to about 2 1/2 miles.”

Food Forward has collected 20,000 pounds of food since the group began there in February, Boyer said. Four nonprofit agencies are served, including Torrance’s Bartlett Senior Citizens Center and El Nido Family Centers, which has a South Bay location in Inglewood.

Prospective volunteers as well as nonprofit agencies — ideally located within five miles of the market — that could make use of the donated food can contact the group at foodforward.org. More information is available by email at volunteer@foodforward.com.

“Food Forward began operating the farmers market food recovery program in 2012 and has collected about 500,000 pounds of fresh food since then.

Harbor Interfaith’s Weaver said the fresh food provided is a welcome supplement to the canned and other nonperishable food stuffs it usually has on hand.

“Food Forward has really filled that gap for us, providing fresh fruit, fresh produce,” she said. “We really appreciate the farmers who aren’t able to sell all the produce they bring to that event and are able to pass it along to the community at large.”

Nick Green is the longtime soccer columnist for the Southern California Newspaper Group and covers Torrance, Lomita and the craft beer industry for the Daily Breeze. He also blogs about soccer at www.insidesocal.com/soccer, the local craft beer scene at www.insidesocal.com/beer and the South Bay at blogs.dailybreeze.com/southbay/. The native of England lives in Old Torrance with his wife and two cats.

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